Goals from Sergi Canós and Diego López established Valencia’s dominance over an Eldense side that struggled to make an impact. In a sport like football, especially during the Cup, where forces can rebalance, quality often prevails. This was evident on Tuesday evening at the Nuevo Pepico Amat, where Valencia took every opportunity to lead 2-0 at halftime and completely neutralized Eldense in the second half.
The atmosphere was magical at Nuevo Pepico Amat, a feeling shared by Deportivo coach Dani Ponz before the match. The Valencian team presented a lineup suitable for the league, with several starters alongside new signing Diego Collado, who made his debut in place of Quintana in attack, allowing him to play freely.
After several minutes of failures, it was Valencia who opened the scoring. Sergi Canós received the loose ball on the edge of the area and fired a long-range shot that left Dani Martín without a chance. Just eight minutes after kick-off, Eldense had to push forward to equalize, going close just a minute after the goal with a Collado strike that skimmed the target.
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Pepelu added to the tension for the home crowd moments later with a powerful shot that skimmed the post. As the minutes passed, Eldense’s spirit began to fade, with numerous incursions, particularly on the right flank, but they struggled to penetrate the Valencia defense.
It was only on the half-hour mark that Ponz’s men shifted gears, keeping Valencia in their own half. The referee ignored a penalty for Eldense when goalkeeper Dimitrievski crashed into Jorquera while trying to collect the ball, leading to calls for a VAR check. Just as the home side was gaining momentum, Valencia struck again, this time through Diego López, served by Canós. It was a cold shower for Eldense just before half-time, as they realized that the efficiency of their first division opponents was threatening their chances of progression.
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Cries of “we can do it” echoed from the stands as Deportivo returned for the second half without the conviction they had shown earlier. Ponz quickly looked for solutions on the bench, bringing in Timor, Quintana and Masca, who was also making his debut in the blue and garnet jersey.
Dani Martín kept the score at 2-0 after an hour by keeping away Diego López’s shot one-on-one. The home side struggled to respond to Valencia’s tactics as they kept them firmly in control, even forcing the home goalkeeper to intervene again against Sadiq’s effort.
With more than 5,000 fans trying to galvanize their team with each threatening approach, Eldense seemed to be fighting more with heart than strategy. The second goal had left a bigger impact than expected, and Valencia were adept at managing the match, ensuring that little action took place in their territory, and if it did, it was close to the Eldense surface.
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Valencia looked to have scored a third goal when Almeida converted a rebound, but the linesman flagged it offside, handing Eldense a lifeline with just fifteen minutes remaining. However, the second half proved to be a story of willpower without being able to execute, with the home side failing to turn the match in their favor, while Valencia showed their superior class. The 0-2 result sealed Eldense’s Cup hopes, with their focus now shifting solely to the league as they prepare to face Eibar next Monday at 8:30 p.m.
Match Details
CD Eldense (0): Ian Mackay; Fran Gámez, Íñigo Piña, Monsalve, Marc Mateu; Víctor García (Ropero 83′), Sergio Ortuño, Álex Bernal (Timor 59′), Jorquera (Simo 74′); Collado (Masca 59′), Juanto (Quintana 59′).
Valencia CF (2): Dimitriesvki; Foulquier, Mosquera, Tárrega, Jesús Vázquez; Guillamón (Barrenechea 59′), Pepelu; Diego López (Luis Rioja 69′), Javi Guerra (Almeida 59′), Sergi Canós (Germán 85′); Hugo Duro (Sadiq 59′).
Goals: 0-1 (Sergi Canós 8′), 0-2 (Diego López 39′)
Referee: Cuadra Fernández (Baleari Committee). Yellow cards were handed out to local players Diego Collado and Piña, and visitors Dimitrievski, Guillamón, Sadiq, and Diego López.
